248 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



my after-rider, wlio carried my rifle, T beheld hiri slow- 

 ly approaching with pallid countenance at least a hund- 

 red yards behind. The lion now faced about, and, 

 springing on Shepherd, one of my favorite dogs, he lay 

 for several seconds upon him, and, having bitten him 

 so that he could not rise, continued his course. A few 

 moments after he knocked over another dog, called 

 Vixen, which escaped with a slight scratch. The lion 

 had now gained the edge of a small cover, and Booi, 

 coming up at a very easy pace, handed me my rifle. 

 In another minute the noble beast came to bay in a 

 thick bush, and, facing round, lay down to await our 

 attack. I then rode up to within twelve yards of him, 

 and, halting my horse, ended the grim lion's career 

 with a single ball behind the shoulder, cutting the 

 main arteries close to the heart. On receiving the ball 

 his head dropped to the ground, and, gasping for a mo- 

 ment, he expired. I dismounted, and, plucking a lock 

 of hair from his mane, placed it in my bosom and re- 

 turned to camp, having been absent barely ten minutes. 



After breakfast a party went to inspect the lion and 

 bring home his trophies. On proceeding to seek for 

 Shepherd, the dog which the lion had knocked over in 

 the chase, I found him with his back broken and his 

 bowels protruding from a gash in the stomach ; I was, 

 therefore, obliged to end his misery with a ball. 



We marched again at sunrise, and at about 10 A.M. 

 1 drew up my wagons beside the large pan where I had 

 been storm-stayed for a week last season. On the 

 march I shot a springbok ; and observing vultures, Mr. 

 O. and I rode toward them with a troop of the dogs, in 

 the hope- of falling in with a lion, but were disappointed. 

 In the afternoon, directing the wagons to follow, I rode 

 ahead with Booi, and on reaching the next large pan 



